Hearing Peter's invitation, Tony grinned immediately. He had already been mentally packing his bags, ready to take Pepper and flee to Afghanistan to find Yinsen.
Never in his wildest dreams did he expect such a dramatic turn of events.
Not only did he no longer have to leave, but he now had the chance to transition from a businessman-hero to the highest echelons of the country's government.
"Now that," Tony said, eyes gleaming, "is something I'm very interested in!"
"But before that," Tony pointed toward the devastated ruins of Brooklyn and gave George Stacy a subtle, knowing glance, "don't you think you should clean up this mess first?"
With Tony's intellect, it took him less than a second to realize the massive operational space this situation provided.
"Naturally," Peter replied, returning a look that said great minds think alike.
This was a core part of Peter's plan. He intended to transfer a significant portion of the credit for restoring Brooklyn onto George's shoulders.
This would be an immense political asset, allowing George to effortlessly break through the complexities of New York politics.
He turned to Gwen and Felicia. "You two head home and get some rest. Take Alexei with you, and tell George I need him over here."
Gwen had a thousand questions for Peter, but she knew now wasn't the time for a long talk. She nodded obediently and left.
Moments later, a confused George Stacy hurried over. Peter leaned in and whispered a few words into his father-in-law's ear. George's face instantly lit up with shock and delight.
What a son-in-law! George thought, moved. He truly looks out for his old man.
George immediately sent his officers out. Soon, a policeman arrived with a middle-fashioned man sporting a flat-top haircut: J. Jonah Jameson, the owner of the Daily Bugle.
JJJ was a die-hard fan of the Arbiter. The moment he saw Peter, he launched into a flurry of praise, declaring that Peter had saved the city and suggesting he unmask and reveal his identity.
He promised to use his entire media empire to make Peter a superstar whose fame would eclipse Iron Man and Captain America.
"We'll talk about the identity reveal later, Mr. Jameson," Peter said calmly. "I called you here because I want you to record some footage."
"After dealing with the monsters threatening our safety, I had a long talk with Captain Stacy here."
"At the Captain's repeated and earnest request, I have made a difficult choice—I will step forward to restore the entirety of Brooklyn!"
Hiss—!
JJJ gasped, looking at Peter with a mixture of shock and worry. He knew Peter could restore buildings; it was Peter's feat of repairing his school after a fight that had first convinced Jameson that the Arbiter was a true hero.
But... restoring all of Brooklyn? That was insane.
"Mr. Arbiter, are you sure? Will this have a severe impact on your health? You know the city still needs your protection."
Facing Jameson's concern, Peter deliberately adopted a weary but determined tone. "Don't worry, it won't kill me. At most, I'll be stuck in bed for ten days or a month..."
"I've already made arrangements with Ghost-Spider, Nightingale, and Iron Man. While I'm recovering, they will handle New York's daily security."
Peter spoke as if it were a minor sacrifice, but to Jameson, it sounded like the ultimate act of selflessness. The fifty-year-old man's eyes grew misty. To sacrifice his own well-being just to save thousands of citizens from ruin—what a noble spirit!
"Mr. Arbiter," Jameson said, his voice choking up, "rest assured. I will report your decision exactly as it happened. You and Captain Stacy deserve the eternal respect and love of every citizen in Brooklyn!"
Even Captain America, standing nearby, wore a look of profound complexity—Brooklyn was, after all, his old home.
As the broadcast vans rolled in and JJJ explained the situation to the live television audience, Peter began his performance. He knelt down, pressing his palm against the shattered asphalt of a Brooklyn street.
As the Horse Talisman surged, a tide of pure white light swept outward, instantly enveloping the surrounding area.
Under the stunned gazes of the onlookers, collapsed buildings, cracked streets, and mangled cars began to reconstruct themselves at a visible speed! Steel and concrete re-solidified, glass shards flew back into window frames, and twisted metal smoothed back into pristine vehicles.
Beyond the police cordons, countless citizens—many still reeling from the effects of the earlier Conqueror's Haki—had been weeping over the loss of their lives.
In the aftermath of a disaster, help didn't always come as quickly as people hoped. Communities did what they could—neighbors checking on neighbors, volunteers offering what little they had—but for many, it wasn't enough to undo the devastation overnight.
For these civilians, losing a home meant navigating insurance claims, job uncertainty, and the long, exhausting road to rebuilding. It was a struggle that could stretch on for months, even years.
But then, Peter appeared.
Where there had been ruin, there was restoration. Where there had been despair, there was hope. One by one, shattered homes returned, as if time itself had been reversed. To those watching, it felt nothing short of miraculous.
At that moment, Peter's silhouette, standing against the light, seemed almost divine.
An old nun, seeing her decades-old church restored in an instant, fell to her knees in the street, tears streaming down her face as she cried out:
"Praise the Lord, for His mercy! And blessings upon you, Arbiter!"
Her voice stirred the stunned survivors around her. Slowly at first, then all at once, thousands followed—kneeling, voices rising together in awe and gratitude:
"Praise the Lord! Bless the Arbiter!"
The sheer volume of the chant shook Nick Fury and Ross. As they watched Peter "pant for breath, wipe his brow, and resolutely march toward the next destroyed block with heavy steps," they felt their scalps go numb.
After tonight... who would ever dare to scheme against this kid in Brooklyn? Forget scheming—if anyone even spoke a bad word about him, they'd likely be torn apart by a mob of "grateful citizens."
The realization brought a chill of absolute despair. Having the power to destroy the world was trouble enough. But a monster with that power and a brain capable of playing the hearts of the masses like a fiddle?
How are we even supposed to play this game anymore?
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 200 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.